Tom Colicchio – Chef Extraordinaire, TV Host, and Author

tomTom Colicchio is a well-known American chef.  He co-founded the Gramercy Tavern in New York City and was the executive chef.  He also is the founder of Crafted Hospitality, which includes Craft, Riverpark, Fowler & Wells, Craftbar, Craftsteak, Beachcraft and Heritage Steak restaurants.  He is the recipient of five James Beard Foundation Awards.   I was introduced to him via the Emmy award winning television show on Bravo, Top Chef.  That I would be watching a cooking show is very funny because I don’t, and I can’t, cook.  I can read a recipe, but executing it becomes an inedible, unsightly disaster no matter how hard I try.  You would think I’d get frustrated or bored watching a cooking show, but Mr. Colicchio is the perfect host for this fast-paced competition among a varied collection of American chefs.

Mr. Colicchio has come out with a new cookbook that will appeal to the hearts of sandwich lovers.  It is listed below, along with a few other cookbooks he has had his hand in.  Also listed, a powerful documentary film he produced on hunger in America.

wichwichcraft: craft a sandwich into a meal…and a meal into a sandwich –  Shares the secrets behind the ‘wichcraft restaurant group’s spin on the sandwich, with recipes for their most popular offerings,essays on stocking the sandwich pantry, and an interview with the owners.

 

eatEat Like A Man: the only cookbook a man will ever need – “So long, dude food. Most men who love food have a roasting pan and a decent spice rack, but they’re still looking for that one book that has all the real food they love to eat and wish they could cook. Esquire food editor Ryan D’Agostino is here to change that with his unapologetically male-centric Eat Like a Man–a choice collection of 75 recipes and food writing for men who like to eat, cook, and read about great food. It’s the Esquire man’s repertoire of perfect recipes, essays on how food figures into the moments that define a man’s life, and all the useful kitchen points every man needs to know. Satisfying, sexy, definitive, and doable, these are recipes for slow Sunday mornings with family, end-of-the-week wind-down dinners with a lady, Saturday night show-off entertaining, poker night feeds, and game-day couch camping. Or, for when a man is just hungry”–

smartSmart Chefs Stay Slim: lessons in eating and living from America’s best chefs – Celebrity chefs including Michelle Bernstein, Eric Ripert, Tom Colicchio, and Giada de Laurentis provide answers to the often-asked question of how they stay so thin and fit when their occupation clearly is based on their love of indulging in food.

 

tecTen: All the foods we love and ten perfect recipes for each – Identifying thirty-two of our favorite foods, from roast chicken and burgers to mashed potatoes and cakes, a innovative cookbook presents ten variations of each food in a collection of more than three hundred recipes, many contributed by such leading chef s as Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Tom Colicchio, Anthony Bourdain, and others.

placeA Place At The Table (DVD) – 50 Million Americans—1 in 4 children—don’t know where their next meal is coming from. A Place at the Table tells the powerful stories of three such Americans, who maintain their dignity even as they struggle just to eat. In a riveting journey that will change forever how you think about the hungry, A Place at the Table shows how the issue could be solved forever, once the American public decides—as they have in the past—that ending hunger is in the best interests of us all.

What’s Happening at Cheshire Library in March

Two concerts this month, plus fun and informative programs on everything from Aromatherapy to  Starting a Business! Here are the highlights from our March Events Calendar:

rrpcwmScents and Sensibility

Thursday Mar 2, 2017, 6:30  –  8:00 PM

Learn about the medicinal benefits of various herbs and essential oils and create your own 8-ounce herbal reed diffuser. This 90 minute hands-on workshop includes all materials. Seating is limited and registration is required.

holaCuentos y Cantos

Friday Mar 3, 2017, 10:00  –  10:45 AM

¡Hola y bienvenidos a Cuentos y Cantos! Join Miss Lauren for a bilingual storytime in English and Spanish. We’ll read books, sing songs, learn new words, and have fun in two languages! For children ages 0-5 with a parent/caregiver. No registration required.

Atwater-Donnelly Trio

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Sunday Mar 5, 2017, 2:00 PM

Award-winning, internationally acclaimed performers, Aubrey Atwater and Elwood Donnelly  blend gorgeous harmonies and play an astonishing array of instruments, showcasing traditional American and Celtic folk songs and percussive dance featuring Irish step dancer Kevin Doyle. This concert is free to the public, no registration required.

small-businessStarting and Running a Small Business

Tuesdays,  Mar 7, 14, 21, 28 2017, 6:00  –  8:00 PM

The basics of starting and running a small business will be presented in a series of four programs to be hosted by SCORE, a network of business mentors, at the Cheshire Public Library, in the month of March.  The sessions will take place on Tuesday evenings – March 7, 14, 21, and 28, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.  Space is limited, please register early!

 

difference-between-noodles-and-pastaCookbook Club: Pasta and Noodles

Wednesday Mar 8, 2017, 6:30  –  8:00 PM

March is Noodle Month!  Bring your favorite pasta/noodle cookbooks (from the library or home) to discuss, and a pasta/noodle dish to share with the group. Must be at least 18 years of age or older to participate.  By attending the program, participants acknowledge that they may choose to consume food that has not been prepared in a commercial kitchen. Registration is required.

11140269_574342509385891_2126848489443040348_n-e1446648369259Adult Knitting Night

Wednesdays Mar 8 and 22,  2017, 6:30 PM

Come socialize, learn, and share your techniques with other knitters.  Experience the relaxing and calming effect of knitting. Advanced adult knitters welcome, no supplies or instruction will be given. We will meet the 2nd and 4th Wednesday every month, no registration required.

logo-cwhf300 Years of Connecticut’s Remarkable Women

Thursday Mar 9, 2017, 6:00 PM

Please join us as we celebrate Women’s History Month with a tribute to 300 Years of Connecticut’s Remarkable Women presented by The Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame. This multi-media program will discuss well-known figures like Ella Grasso, Katharine Hepburn and Marian Anderson and lesser known heroines like Maria Sanchez, Barbara McClintock and Hannah Watson. Registration is required.

caldecottCelebrate the Caldecott!

Saturday Mar 11, 2017, 11:00 AM  –  12:00 PM

Join us as we celebrate some of our favorite Caldecott Medal books! The Caldecott Medal is awarded annually to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children published that year. This hands-on family friendly program will include art activities and games featuring some of the past award winners. For all ages, registration is required.

imagesFood Your Kids Will Eat!

Monday Mar 13, 2017, 6:30  –  7:30 PM

Do you have a favorite recipe that your family loves?  Do you have a recipe that freezes well that you can heat up after a long day at work?  Well this program is for you.  Bring a sample of your favorite dish, and the recipe to share with the group. We’ll share ways of getting kids to eat the food you prepare! Must be at least 18 years of age or older to participate.  By attending the program, participants acknowledge that they may choose to consume food that has not been prepared in a commercial kitchen. Registration is required.

Microsoft PowerPoint

3-part class, Wednesdays Mar 15, 22, 29, 1:30-2:30 PM

This class will provide introduction to Microsoft PowerPoint and is divided into three powerpoint-2013-logo-iconsessions.
You will learn how to:
– Create a new presentation.
– Modify presentation themes.
– Add and edit text.
– Add new slides to a presentation.
– Insert clipart images and shapes to slides.
– Add sound and video to a slide presentation.
– Insert and edit animations and slide transitions and much more.   Registration is required.

img_0623READ Photo Week

Monday Mar 20 – Saturday Mar 26, 2017

Kids, show off your love of reading! Stop by the Children’s Room any time from Monday, March 20th to Saturday, March 26th to get your photo taken with a favorite book. Take a book from our shelves or bring a book from home, select a snazzy background, then smile and say “read”! During National Library Week from April 10-16, come pick up your photo and enjoy our brand-new display featuring all the readers at Cheshire Library.

screen-shot-2017-02-15-at-4-07-09-pmSAT/ACT Preparation

Thursday Mar 23, 2017, 6:30  –  7:30 PM

Want to learn about free resources such as practice SAT/ACT tests and eBooks available to you free 24 hours a day, 7 days a week?  Attend this free session and learn about Learning Express a digital service that will help you master the SAT/ACT.  Registration is required.

baerman-squaredNoah Baerman Trio

Sunday Mar 26, 2017, 2:00 PM

Noah Baerman is an acclaimed jazz pianist/composer, educator, author, and Artistic Director of the non-profit Resonant Motion. For this program, Noah and his trio will demonstrate some of the nuts and bolts of instrumental jazz in lay terms, but without watering down the music itself.  This concert is free to the public, no registration required.

26832947885_23920e0bc2_bAuthor Talk : The Brass Valley by Emery Roth

Monday Mar 27, 2017, 6:00  –  8:00 PM

They called the steep valley of Connecticut’s Naugatuck River, “Brass Valley,” because from the time the world began running on steam and bearings, trolleys and soot, the Naugatuck Valley came to be where most of the world’s brass manufacturing happened.  Author and photographer, Emery Roth will talk about his new book, Brass Valley: The fall of an American Industry,  a book of pictures and stories about how it all happened.

 

 

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Chocolate is Good for You!

chocolate02Have you heard the good news? Dark chocolate is actually beneficial to your health. What are the benefits? How about:

People who eat dark chocolate have a lower risk of heart disease. Why? the flavonals in chocolate reduce cholesterol and lower blood pressure.

Polyphenols in chocolate improved insulin sensitivity even in people who did not have diabetes.

Chocolate contains phenylethylamine, which is the same chemical that your brain creates when you feel like you’re falling in love. Who wouldn’t want to feel that good?

So indulge yourself! We have some great cookbooks featuring chocolate.

choc Chocolate : from simple cookies to extravagant showstoppers / Nick Malgieri.
A primer on basics and every kind of chocolate from cocoa to chips and white chocolate (and why it isn’t really chocolate in the strictest sense) to big dark slabs of the world’s favorite luxury food and the many, many ways to enjoy it.

jacket2 Chocolate : 90 sinful and sumptuous indulgences / by Elisabeth Johansson.
You can never have too much chocolate—or too many chocolate recipes! From Mocha Squares to spicy Aztec Pralines and Fudge Cake with chocolate-caramel icing, this big, bold, beautiful volume features more than 90 treats that will tempt any chocoholic.

cakeChocolate from the cake mix doctor / by Anne Byrn.
Starting with versatile supermarket cake mixes and adding just the right extras-including melted semisweet chocolate bars, chocolate chips, or cocoa powder, a baker at any level of experience can turn out dark, rich, moist, delicious chocolate layer cakes, time and again. Not to mention sheet cakes, pound cakes, cupcakes and muffins, cheesecakes, cookies, brownies, and bars.

More than 100 spectacular — and often simple — recipes. It is divided into three sections: “Intensely Chocolate,” in which the sumptuous flavor of chocolate is the star; “Essentially Chocolate,” with lighter chocolate desserts; and “A Hint of Chocolate,” with recipes that use chocolate’s spicier qualities to their best effect.

Featuring more than eighty recipes from the author whose name is synonymous with chocolate desserts, this cookbook offers such delights as Triple Mousse Cake, Chocolate Walnut Torte, and Chocolate Truffles–all with lower fat and fewer calories.

 

Over 100 delicious and inventive variations of the original Nestlé Tollhouse Chocolate Chip cookie recipe–from all-chocolate extravaganzas to tempting add-ins such as macadamia nuts, Amaretto, maple syrup, granola, and peanut butter–have been collected here from cookie chefs across the country.

jacket8Chocolate-covered Katie : over 80 delicious recipes that are secretly good for you / Katie Higgins.
Katie shares over 80 never-before-seen recipes, such as Chocolate Obsession Cake, Peanut Butter Pudding Pops, and Ultimate Unbaked Brownies, that use only real ingredients, without any unnecessary fats, sugars, or empty calories. These desserts prove once and for all that health and happiness can go hand-in-hand-you can have your dessert and eat it, too!

Chocolate creators know they can turn to Maida for tantalizing confections, cookies, cakes, pies, puddings, and sauces that transcend the ordinary and make for memorable dining experiences.

 

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The Ghirardelli chocolate cookbook : recipes and history from America’s premier chocolate maker / photography by Leigh Beisch.
The recipes range from simple sweets to show-stopping desserts, while a special section on hosting a chocolate party comes just in time for holiday baking and entertaining.

Thanksgiving 101

It’s approaching. The holiday where we have to cook for large groups of people. People moreover, to whom we are related. Talk about nerve-racking! (At least it’s nerve-racking to a non-cooking introvert like myself!)

So all you other non-cooking introverts, take a moment and give thanks for the library, which has all the recipes, tips, tricks and  expertise to get us all through the Big Dinner.

 

thanksgiving-101Thanksgiving 101 : celebrate America’s Favorite Holiday with America’s Thanksgiving Expert / Rick Rodgers.
This book asks the important question: When was the last time most of us made dinner for such a big crowd?  Exactly! But whether you’re looking for new ways to cook turkey; traditional trimmings, chutneys, or chowders; a vegetarian entrée; or fresh ideas for regional classics, including Cajun-or Italian-inspired tastes, Thanksgiving 101 serves up a delicious education for novice and experienced cooks alike.

 

The holidays are a time for family and friends.  Thanksgiving can also be a time of stress, anxiety, and slaving over a hot stove.  No kidding! The editors of Fine Cooking magazine know all about the problems and pitfalls of preparing a full-course holiday meal…and they are here to help! This cooking survival guide presents all the reader needs to know to make things go smoothly, look great, and taste delicious. Phew!

 

jacket-aspxThanksgiving : How to Cook it Well / Sam Sifton
From the planning of the meal to the washing of the last plate, Sam Sifton says Thanksgiving poses more—and more vexing—problems for the home cook than any other holiday. (Let’s hear it for truth in cookbooks!) In this smartly written, beautifully illustrated, recipe-filled book, Sam Sifton, the New York Times’s former restaurant critic and resident Thanksgiving expert, delivers a message of great comfort and solace: There is no need for fear. You can cook a great meal on Thanksgiving. You can have a great time.

 

jacket-aspx2Williams-Sonoma Thanksgiving / Michael McLaughlin
Williams-Sonoma Thanksgiving offers easy-to-follow recipes, making it a fave on my list. In these pages, you’ll find inspiring first courses and a tempting variety of side dishes and desserts as well as some new ideas for the main course. This vividly photographed, full-color recipe collection will become an essential addition to your kitchen bookshelf.

 

jacket-aspxThanksgiving : Recipes for a Holiday Meal / Lou Seibert Pappas
This  book offers dozens of favorite traditional and contemporary holiday dishes including a variety of vegetarian options, organizing entries by course while sharing tips for staying organized, carving a turkey, and using leftovers. Any cookbook that tackles leftovers is a winner!

 

pioneerThe Pioneer Woman Cooks : A Year of Holidays : 140 step-by-step Recipes for Simple, Scrumptious Celebrations / Ree Drummond
Ree’s recipes are accompanied by fun instructions and hundreds of her signature step-by-step photos. Filled with creative and flavorful ideas for intimate dinners, group gatherings, and family meals this cookbook includes dozens of mouthwatering dishes (with nineteen recipes for Thanksgiving alone!)

 

chewThe Chew, a Year of Celebrations : Festive and Delicious Recipes for Every Occasion / edited by Ashley Archer and Jessica Dorfman Jones
This cookbook will guide you through the planning, cooking of the year’s most celebrated events. With a complete spread for each celebration, including drinks, appetizers, entrees, sides, and desserts, the guesswork is taken out of menu creation; all that’s left to do is prepare and enjoy the fantastic food. And Carla Hall’s Pumpkin Pecan Pie will finally eliminate the toughest Thanksgiving decision: classic pumpkin or classic pecan?

 

bettyBetty Crocker Complete Thanksgiving Cookbook : All You Need to Cook a Foolproof Dinner
Kudos to Betty Crocker who admits, “Thanksgiving can be the most challenging meal to prepare-even for the most experienced cooks.” Truth! However, whether you’re cooking Thanksgiving dinner for the first time or have hosted this celebration for years, Betty comes to the rescue with this complete do-it-yourself guide to making Thanksgiving delicious. Here are the treasured recipes with all the trimmings that you grew up with, plus plenty of great new twists on the traditional.

Cookbooks that Caught My Eye, But I Know I Will Never Try

Sometimes when we catalog or check in or out library materials a book catches our eye and requires some serious perusal. More often than not this means setting it aside to check out and bring home.

Cookbooks with insanely creative or intricate recipes and decorating ideas regularly catch me. I love to bake and cook but do not have the time or energy to necessarily get fancy. I tend to worry first about taste and if I can get my family to eat it.

However, looking at the wonderful ideas and execution in these books sometimes inspires me to get more creative, and cookingsometimes just makes me wonder how anyone can eat something that obviously took some serious time and effort to make look so good. Here are some of the more recent cookbooks that have made me stop and look at their deliciously beautiful covers.

Cake My Day by Karen Tack & Alan Richardson

The New England Soup Factory Cookbook by Marjorie Druker and Clara Silverstein

What’s New, Cupcake?: Ingeniously Simple Designs for Every Occasion by Karen Tack

The Hot Bread Kitchen Cookbook: Artisanal Baking from Around the World by Jessamyn Waldman Rodriguez and the Bakers of Hot Bread Kitchen with Julia Turshen

Cupcakes, Cookies, and Pie, Oh, My! by Karen Tack & Alan Richardson

Seriously Delish: 150 Recipes for People Who Totally Love Food by Jessica Merchant

Great Balls of Cheese by Michelle Buffardi

The Confetti Cakes Cookbook: Cookies, Cakes, and Cupcakes from New York City’s Famed Bakery by Elisa Strauss with Christie Matheson

For some of us more realistic, or pessimistic, chefs I offer:
The Can’t Cook Book : 100+ Recipes for the Absolutely Terrified! by Jessica Seinfeld